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Perhaps even more intriguing is the revelation that the plasma within the outer ring of the black hole appears to rotate in the opposite direction of its spin. This turbulent phenomenon aids in explaining the variations observed in the brightness and behavior of the accretion disk surrounding M87*.
The 2018 analyses utilized an extensive library of simulations—three times larger than that of 2017. These advancements enabled researchers to conclude that M87* has a mass approximately 6.5 billion times that of our Sun. Overall, the data collected continues to bolster established theories regarding the interaction between black holes and surrounding matter.